I'd Wait Forever
by PurrJaede
Summary: Raven and Beast Boy are starting to come to terms with their feelings for one another.But just when love begins to blossom,an unknown force steals Raven away.But Beast Boy can wait forever for his love.
1. Chapter 1

**All I can say is...HAHA! I finished it!It only took like a whole day on the computer because I have serious attention span problems...Hey look a butterfly!Hehehe :runs off chasing it:**

**Anyway,THE PEOPLE HAVE SPOKEN! I'd Wait Forever is the official title!Cool.Anyway,I'm gona start dedicating chapters to peoples.First on the list:**

**BBRaelover4eva!**

**Thanx for your continued support:gives BBRaelover4eva a Starfire hug:**

**BBRaelover4eva:Can't...breathe...**

**And this may take a long time for me to update,because I have just discovered the wonder that is 9th Elsewhere!(And I've fallen in love with the main guy character!I know, I'm really sad.But I just can't resist the ears.First Inuyasha,then Beast Boy,and now Eiji!Go Eiji!He's so cute...And the ears!I can't help it if all my crushes are on fictional characters...)For the wonder that is 9th Elsewhere,go to:**

**www . 9thelsewhere . com**

**(without the spaces)**

**Chapter 1  
****Can't Deny it**

Raven furrowed her brow before opening her eyes.She blinked a few times,to get her eyes used to the rough candlelight,before uncrossing her legs and placing her feet on the floor.She walked over to her bathroom door and opened it,putting out all the candles in her room with a wave of black magic at the same time.No need to cause a fire.

She walked into the bathroom,throwing off her cloak into a basket.She had her own bathroom because supposedly 'girls take forever in the bathroom'.Yeah right.Beast Boy had been known to spend weeks in the boys' communal one,passed out in the bath.The candles flickered as she tossed her leotard into the same basket and laid her belt down on a shelf.She stretched a bit before getting into the fragrant water.

Letting the hot water mull over her,she let her mind drift to the reason she hadn't been able to meditate.A green,annoying reason.She sighed inwardly.How come,even though he wasn't even in the same room as her,he could affect her like this?So focused on her own thoughts of the grass stain was she,that she failed to hear the rather noisy thoughts of the fly currently in the vent above her room.

Beast Boy had watched as Raven meditated for an hour.An hour!She seemed pretty restless though,constantly rearranging herself in midair.He'd almost decided to give up and go play video games when she got up and walked to her bathroom.He mentally prepared himself.

_Okay Beast Boy,this is it.Any regrets?_

He rubbed his hands---errr---whatever it is that flys have---together.

_Yeah. I wish I had a better plan than this!_

_You could always chicken out and go watch Raven have a bath..._

Beast Boy almost morphed back into a human out of shock.Where did **that** thought come from?

_Come on,you know you want to.After all,that leotard leaves a lot of room for imagination..._

_No!Not gona happen!I can't afford to think of Raven like that!_

_But you _know _you want to..._

Beast Boy deftly pushed that thought to the back of his head.He had to focus on the task at hand.He quickly flew through the vent opening and dropped to the floor.Morphing back into a human,he quickly surveyed his surroundings.Aha!There it was!He snatched it from its precarious position on top of the bookcase.

Morphing into a monkey,he performed a quick victory dance until he snapped to his senses and realised he was still in enemy territory. Running to the door,he paused before hitting the button.

_Come on,you got what you came for.Now let's go watch Raven..._

Beast Boy streaked out of the room before the voice could convince him otherwise.

* * *

Raven stretched again as she walked down the corridor.A bath had made her feel better,even if her head was still in turmoil,constantly churning images of the changeling through her subconcious.Why couldn't she stop thinking about him?It wasn't like she liked him or anything.Not at all.He's just an annoying little grass stain.Emphasis on little.

She stopped at the doors to the common room.She needed some herbal tea.Walking into the room,however,she noticed something that made her very,**very** angry.

The boys of their team sat in front of the big-screen tv.That wasn't unusual.The problem was the game they were playing.

"Mega Monkeys 4..."

The boys froze at the sound of her voice.Slowly turning around, they came face to face with a four-eyed demon formerly known as Raven.Their faces dropped.

"Which one of you went into my room?"She managed to spit out in that venemous voice.

Robin and Cyborg had absolutely no loyalty in the face of an angry Raven.Panicking,they shoved the hapless Beast Boy towards her."He did it!"

With that,they both took off for the safety of their rooms.Raven looked down at the cowering changeling.Any confused feelings had completely disappeared in sight of her rage.This was how things were meant to be.

"Now you die."

* * *

Beast Boy combed the fish and glass out of his hair with his fingers.He knew he shouldn't have let the others talk him into it,but hey.He was just stupid like that.He finished and shook his head to clear his ears.

He should have known better than to get the game confiscated in the first place.But it wasn't his fault that he turned the volume up all the way,was it?Okay,so maybe it was.But Cyborg helped!But nooo._I'm too heavy to fit in the vents..._Yeah well...He still could have helped get it back.And now Beast Boy was drenched in sea water,covered in glass, with an atomic wedgie up his ass.Plus he now had to fix the window.Crummy Raven.He hadn't even gotten a peek for his efforts...

He stopped himself there,and started hitting himself over the head repeatedly with a random lead pipe that he found.To clear his mind of dirty thoughts.He didn't know how the pipe got there,but sometimes it's just better not to know.His room was a scary place.

Cyborg walked past the open door.He quickly back-tracked,to see his best friend hitting himself over the head repeatedly with a pipe.

"You know dude,"he remarked,"If you had a brain I'd be worried.But,seeing as you don't,keep going."

Beast Boy stopped and scowled at him,attempting to look threatening.But it is kind of hard to look threatening with your underwear over your head.He gave up,failing completely.He was still angry though."How could you abandon me like that?Raven tossed me out the window."

Cyborg broke down and started laughing,rolling around on the floor.Beast Boy scowled again."Dude!It's so not funny!"

"Yes...it so...is,"Cyborg managed to blurt out between bursts of laughter."You...have...serious problems...with...your...love life!"

Beast Boy recoiled in shock."What dude! I-I-I so don't like Raven like that!"

Cyborg just kept laughing."You're...almost as...obvious...as...Robin, dude!"

Beast Boy was just confused."What about Robin?"

Cyborg just laughed harder at his clueless buddy.

* * *

Raven sat over her bed,chanting the familiar mantra.For some reason,the conflict earlier today had cleared her mind somewhat.She could now meditate,albeit to a lesser degree than usual.But it seemed like she'd only just gotten into a deep concentration when the alarm beeped.

She sighed inwardly as she got off the bed and slid open the door.She'd have to see Beast Boy again.For some reason,that didn't seem to bother her.

* * *

"Chaaa dudes.No-one defeats Adonis!"

Raven rolled her eyes.If she had a nickel for everytime she heard a supervillian say something along those lines,well---she'd be a very rich superhero.Flying at him,she used a burst of black energy to send a nearby car at Adonis.He leant under its weight,but simply bench-pressed it and sent it straight back to the source.Raven gasped as the car plowed into her,giving her a moment of unconciousness.

She fell from the sky,only to be caught by the villian.She struggled against his arms,but he merely pressed her to his chest and wrapped his arms around her tightly.He began to cut off her air.

"No escape this time,cutie.Grrrrrr! I've said it before,and I'll say it again:I like 'em fiesty!"

"Let me go."Her voice was dangerous despite her breathlessness as her eyes and hands glowed warningly black.

"Or what,gorg--"

His remark was cut short as a green beast plowed into him,making him drop Raven.Raven started to fall,but The Beast deftly caught her.He put her carefully on the ground before standing in front of her and growling threateningly at the recovering Adonis.Adonis only had time to rub his head in wonder before The Beast had pounced at him,quickly stripping his armour away like the first time Beast Boy faced him.

The black haired man quickly edged away from the dangerous green creature.Cyborg stopped him,securing handcuffs onto his skinny wrists.

The Beast growled once in acknowledgement of his victory.Starfire,Robin and Cyborg carefully stayed away from him as he turned back to a dazed Raven.He could be dangerous in this form if pushed.He walked over to Raven before letting his flesh ripple in the familiar morph.Beast Boy fell to his knees,then onto his face,his clothes torn around him.

* * *

"Thanks for before."

"How did you know it was me up here?"

Raven rolled her eyes and quit the pretence of meditating."Because no-one else thinks about a 'secret janitor' theory as they climb the stairs.And no-one else runs into the wall on the way up."

Beast Boy smiled that cheesy grin of his and rubbed his neck."It's dark,okay?"

Raven turned her head to face him."Beast Boy,the stairs go straight up.You turned left into the wall."

He rubbed his neck again,and laughed that weird laugh of his."Hehehehe...oops."

Looking a bit more serious,if it's possible for Beast Boy to look serious,he walked over to the edge of the roof and sat down,his legs dangling over the edge.Raven floated down to join him.He looked at her and smiled again.

"You're welcome,anyway."He looked up at the darkening sky."It's not like I can control it that well though.I just kinda saw you getting hurt and something snapped."

"Well,thanks.It was getting pretty hard to breathe."

Raven smiled slightly.Its effect was not lost on Beast Boy,however.He pointed a finger at her incredulously.

"You smiled!You smiled cause of me! I saw it!You can't deny it now! I **am** hilarious!"Beast Boy's face spread into a familiar grin.He knew it was just a matter of time.

Raven did something shocking next.Something that made her question her sanity,and made Beast Boy nearly fall off the roof.Something he would never forget.But unfortunately,she would.

"I can't deny this,either."

She leant forward,and gently pecked his cheek.

Both of their faces flushed.Beast Boy sat there unable to move.Raven,however,got up and made her way to the stairwell.

"Goodnight Beast Boy."

The door slammed shut.Beast Boy's mouth slowly spread into an especially goofy grin.He looked towards the fading horizon,and thought that he would never stop smiling again.

How wrong he was.

**

* * *

Samurai the adorable ginger tabby demands reviews!Reviews make him happy,and when he's happy,he's not bugging me for food:)Yay!**

**So make a cat happy.Review today!**


	2. Chapter 2

**I know it's really short,but the next chapter is really long to make up for it!So do not despair :)**

**This chapter dedicated to: Love.Music !**

**Why?Cause she's the person who is officiallly obsessed with Green Day and wants to marry Billie Joe,yet still groans and tries to de-program me everytime I go on about my latest fictional-character-with-cool-ears crush XD**

**I still reckon Eiji is cute...**

**Chapter 2**

**Birthday**

The scream tore through the night,filling the tower with pain and suffering.But it was nothing compared to the hole it tore in the heart of a green changeling.He awoke with a gasp of terror.

Moving with the speed of lightning,he rushed from his room,moving so fast that all the others could see was a green blur.He skidded to a swift halt in front of her door.The name across it burned into his memory as he ripped the door off the runners.He rushed into forbidden space.But it was too late.

She was gone.

Nothing remained.Not a speck of blood,no broken window.It was as if she had disappeared,the only testament to her existence the tingle still on his cheek.He fell to his knees and let loose a cry of pure grief.

The others stood at the archway that once held her door.Starfire buried herself into Robin's arms,her sobs muffled by his chest.The boys simply looked on as Beast Boy's cry turned to quiet sobs.Having been through so much worse,the tears wouldn't come for them.No matter how much they wanted to,they had forgotten how to cry a long time ago.

-----------------

"Beast Boy?"

He didn't bother to turn his head.He just stared out to sea,the slight wind ruffling his hair.

"Please Beast Boy.You must join us once more.Robin and Cyborg have become worried.I am too.Do not despair friend Beast Boy,we will find Raven."

Starfire moved to sit next to him.

"How do you know that?"His voice was harsh,and his eyes lacked the familiar sparkle."Her communicator isn't working.And there were no clues.It's just like she disappeared."

The tears started again.

"She's gone."

Starfire stood up."But we will find her.The League of Justice has agreed to help us locate her."

Beast Boy looked back up at her.He wiped the tears from his face.A ghost of a smile flew across his features."Justice League,Star."

He looked back towards the horizon.The smile quickly melted from his face.A solitary tear travelled down his cheek.

"Today was supposed to be my birthday."

**What a sucky birthday present,getting your one true love abducted.That would officially suck.But,the goblins can come and take my brother away any time they like :hint hint:**

**Excuse me,I just finished watching Labrinth last night,so it's still going around in my brain XD**

**Anyway,reviews make Sushi and Samurai happy,and a happy cat isn't going to jump on me in the middle of the night again and wake me up for no good reason except to steal my pillow,are they?So review,and let me get enough sleep to write the next chapter!**


	3. Chapter 3

**So--obsessed--with--Eiji...HIS EARS ARE SO COOL!**

**Yay 9th Elsewhere!**

**K,this is pretty long,took me 4 hours to write so enjoy.**

**Chapter 3**

Ranae stretched and opened her eyes.Then quickly shut them again as light poured in._Damn Matron...She must have come and opened the blinds again!She knows I can't stand having them open!_

She groaned as she heard a twittering.Matron had opened the window as well!

Slowly,she rolled diagonally across the bed till her feet hung over the edge.She carefully sat up.Padding across the small room,she slammed the window shut with a bang.Another groan came from behind her as she lowered the heavy blinds.

"Nooo...don't wana get up..."

"You don't have to.It's Saturday."Ranae flopped tiredly back onto her bed,burrowing underneath the covers once more.

"Uhhnnnn..."Jira moved around a bit before falling back into a restless sleep,tossing and turning constantly as usual.Ranae,however,couldn't fall back asleep.Now that she was up,she couldn't stop the wheels of her brain churning.Her plan was perfect.There was no possible way it could fail.She and Jira had gone over it a thousand times.Only one more week until they were free.She still couldn't stop worrying about it though.

The money was hidden in the wonky floorboard.Check.

Clothes organised so they could be packed into the one bag in less than 5 min.Check.

Arg! Ranae couldn't take it anymore.There was no possible way she was going to fall asleep.Slowly she got up and walked to the computer over in the corner.As she walked past the mirror,however,she stopped.Looking back into it,she could have sworn her eyes had been violet for a fraction of a second.But only her midnight blue eyes,framed by long mouse brown locks looked back at her.

Ranae shook her head.She was too obsessed with the Teen Titans.Speaking of them,she ran over to the tv and switched it on.The news was almost on.And with the first anniversary of Raven's disappearance nearing,there was bound to be alot of coverage on the Titans.Ranae flopped down on her bed again as the newscaster started the introduction.She leant forward,almost hanging off the end of her bed.

Jira made a noise that sounded rather like a tiger's growl."Tv...bad...want...sleep..."

"Too bad."Ranae retorted back in the tone of voice she always used,something halfway between sarcasm and monotony."I'm watching the news."

Jira gave up on her attempts to sleep.Throwing a pillow at Ranae,she stood up and dragged her feet till she could fall down on Ranae's bed.It was closer to the tv."Going to watch Beast Boy again?That's just sad,Ranae."

Ranae shot a venemous glance at her half-asleep friend."So what?You're gona drool all over that tin man again."

Jira half-smiled,sleep still wearing off.Her green eyes hung almost closed."He's cute,okay?"

Ranae lifted an eyebrow."Whatever."

They both focused on the screen as images of the Teen Titans' last battle started playing.Halfway through,however,the screen went blank and a recorded message began playing.

"Please stand by for important live news coverage direct from city hall."

They both groaned.What could be more important than watching a teenaged superhero running around in spandex?And another one running around in nothing(I mean,Cyborg **does** run around naked).

But their hopes came back when they saw a shot of the Titans standing behind a podium come onto the screen.Robin stepped up and began to speak into the microphones there.The other Titans hung behind him,looking a bit awkward.Except for poor Beast Boy.He looked like he didn't even realise where he was.His eyes were glazed over and looked red from crying.Ranae's heart went out to him.Poor guy.He hadn't been the same since Raven disappeared almost a year ago on his birthday.She switched her attention back to Robin.

"--we ask people to report any possible sightings of her to their nearest police--"

Ranae switched off.They sent out the same plea for Raven practically every month.

Sometimes,Ranae would make believe that she was actually the missing Raven.It was a pretty childish dream,but that didn't stop her from having a part of her that refused to believe the overwhelming evidence that she wasn't Raven.But when it came down to it,she couldn't be.Raven had violet eyes,and violet hair.Not to mention amazingly cool powers.

And Ranae had been in the orphanage since she was a little girl of two.Of course,she couldn't remember back that far.Seven months ago,her bus had run off a cliff.No-one had died,but all the kids came out with heavy amnesia.Matron hadn't been on the bus,so she still remembered everything,and sometimes she could tell them a bit about what happened before they lost their memories.But whenever Matron told Ranae something,it just seemed so surreal.

She guessed it was just her sub-concious wishing that she really was Raven.Because if she was,she'd have a chance at the changeling.Even though she hated to admit it,she did have an enormous crush on him,probably like almost all the girls within a hundred mile radius of Jump City.It was almost as sad as Jira's crush on Cyborg.Almost.

Ranae looked around the white room.She hated it here.The orphanage wasn't like the ones you see on tv.Theirs' was actually quite high-tech.But she still hated it.She especially hated the white.It should be dark in a person's room,to let them sleep properly.

Matron was really strict,as well.She and Jira had wanted to die their hair like Raven and (Jira's favorite villian,who she said had great fashion sense) Jinx,who hadn't been seen in public since the Hive Five's raid of the mall in Jump City,more than a year ago.But Matron had refused,saying that she would not tolerate strange hair colors among her pupils.They had wanted to cut their hair like Raven and Jinx.Matron forced them to wear the standard 'an inch below the shoulders' cut.

But that was almost over.Ranae didn't know why she hadn't escaped before now.Maybe the crash that gave her amnesia had changed the way she thought,because she and Jira had been planning their escape for six months now.And they were so close to freedom,she could taste it.

Actually,she could smell the waffles.Breakfast time.She breathed in heavily,enjoying the aroma.She didn't know why,but everytime she smelt it,it reminded her of a deep voice going "Uhhhmmm...Sure?"She guessed it was just some repressed memory stuff.

She shrugged it off and reached for the remote.Fumbling with it for a second,she quickly found the power button and hit it.The screen zipped,and went blank.Jira glared at her in annoyance.

"What did you do that for?Cyborg was doing the cutest thing with his thumbs..."

She sighed,obviously off in Lala land,dreaming of the metal man.Ranae rapped her hard on the head.

"Hello?Waffles?" Her monotonous voice cut into Jira's daydreams.

"Fine."

She rolled off Ranae's bed,landing on her feet.She strode over to her dresser and snatched out her favorite black dress,pulling it over her head.She made sure it sat properly before grabbing some pink stockings from another drawer and pulling them on.Quickly,with the ease of practice,she drew her strawberry-blonde hair up into two high pigtails,fastening it with two black bands.She twirled once in the floor length mirror before pulling on her worn black boots.She looked at the end result,her pink cheeks drawn up in a smile.

"What do you think?Do I look like Jinx,or what?"

Ranae rolled her eyes at the natural show-off Jira seemed to be."Whatever."She had already put on her usual jeans and dark blue hooded jacket."Come on,we'll be late for breakfast."

Jira pouted slightly at the lack of attention,before running off after Ranae,who had already started down the corridor.

* * *

"How come you picked the Robin outfit?" 

Breakfast had finished several hours ago,leaving the students with free time.Ranae and Jira had retreated back to their room,to go over the final details of their plan.

"Dunno.We have to have an outfit,to escape on Halloween,so I chose it."

Jira wasn't satisfied with that answer."But I thought Beast Boy was your favorite Titan.Why pick the Robin costume?"

"Because..."Ranae furrowed her brow,trying to remember why she chose the Robin costume over the Beast Boy one."Because..."

A sudden thought came into her head,and she realised why she did."The mask...makes me feel cool?"

Jira rolled over."Whatever."

Ranae couldn't shake the feeling that those words were important somehow.She wasdisturbed in herthoughts,however,by a loud knock on the door.She looked up as Matron burst through the door,carrying a tray.

_Great._She groaned inwardly._I hate having diabetes._She grabbed a syringe from the tray Matron held out to them.Jira grabbed the other one.Bracing themselves,they quickly injected the fluid into themselves.Tossing the syringes back onto the tray,they both fell backwards onto their beds.The insulin always made their heads feel funny,like they were trying to think through water.They stuck out their tongues at each other as Matron bustled back out of the room.They had already stolen enough insulin from the supply closets to keep them alive for another three months.

"Can't wait till next week."

"Me either."Ranae spoke her agreement,before picking up the mask again,not remembering what had been so important a moment ago.

* * *

**In case you didn't get the last bit,that's telling you how 'they' keep the kid's memories in check.And probably their powers.And yes,it's supposed to be obvious.**

**Probably won't update for a while now,school's started again XP**


	4. Chapter 4

**Aaa!Please don't kill me!I know it's been like a month,but it's really hard to write this stuff.It takes about a day for a new chapter,then another hour to go over it and make sure everything works.And since school started again,I've been totally crushed under the homework of semester 2.So...it'll probably be another 2 weeks at least until a new chapter is up.Gomen!**

**Now for...dun-dun-dun!**

**Chapter 4**

Ranae looked at herself in the mirror one last time before finally heading out the door.This was it.If they didn't escape tonight,they'd be stuck for another whole year.Halloween was the only time of year the children were let out of the house,and the security on the house was so strong they'd never get past the front gate usually.She ran down the stairs and stood next to Jira impatiently.

Jira wore the traditional Halloween long flowing black dress and the pointed hat of a witch,yet seemed to make the whole outfit tasteful.Ranae was envious.Jira could wear anything and look beautiful.But with her brown hair,and blue eyes,the best description Ranae could hope for was 'cute'.It sucked to be plain.

Jira's clothes weren't just a fashion statement though.Hidden underneath the flowing dress was everything they would need outside of the orphanage.Money,clothes,insulin and a small amount of food.There was no turning back now.They waited breathlessly as the group made its way out of the orphanage gates into Metropolis.Their hearts pounded a mile at a time,the rough sound filling their ears and making them even more nervous.

Slowly they waited for their chance.Their timing had to be just on.A few seconds off,and Matron could look around and see them.They rounded the corner of Fallacy Drive and Phantasm Avenue.It should be about twenty feet along-here it was!They ducked into the small alley.With the ease of practice,they slid out of their costumes and into jeans and hooded sweatshirts.They pulled on heavy sunglasses before ducking back out again and following the small map they had stolen from Matron ages ago.They reached the bus bay in little under an hour.

Quickly they bought tickets for Jump City from the bored woman behind the counter.They tried their best to be inconspicous,so no-one could follow their tracks.Something told them that Matron wouldn't be in a very good mood if she found them.Ranae slid into a plastic seat.Jira slumped into hers a second later.For a few moments,they stared at the number five on the sign,thinking intently.They were almost free from Metropolis and the orphanage forever.

Soon they would be in Jump City,the town of their heroes.Who knows,maybe they would even meet the Teen Titans!Perhaps they could get an autograph...

Their thoughts slid to a close as the bus pulled up in front of them.They quickly boarded,flashing their tickets to the sleepy driver.They moved to the back of the bus and sat down.Looking through the dirt-streaked window,Ranae watched lights swim in the dark depths of the night.

* * *

Beast Boy sat in the back of the T-car,his gaze fixed to his shoes.The other Titans had been worried about him for what seemed like forever.At first,he seemed to hold the same enthusiasm for finding Raven that he held for everything else.But slowly the enthusiasm had melted to a sliver of hope,and even that had disappeared when the months had gone by.Now he simply existed,an empty shell,a shadow of his former self.

At first,he had jumped everytime the alarm went off in the tower,thinking that maybe the current rampaging villian would lead them to Raven.But the days went by,and nothing ever led them to her.Nothing suggested she even existed anymore.Which hadn't improved Beast Boy's fragile state of mind.

They'd tried taking him to a Halloween party that night.He'd just sat in the back,screwing around on his dark blue laptop.Everything he'd bought after Raven disappeared had either been dark blue or violet.The other Titans wisely kept their mouths shut about it.The poor guy didn't need hassling in sight of his other problems.

No-one mentioned,either,that he had reacted on a much deeper level than when Terra had betrayed them and then 'died'.No-one metioned the look in his eyes had permanently faded to the dull light they had held when Raven had spent all her time with the deciever Malchior.No-one mentioned he hadn't cracked a joke in four months.No-one mentioned he loved her.

They pulled into the garage.They climbed out silently,only the sound of car doors slamming echoing around the room.Beast Boy's gaze didn't shift from his feet.As the rays of a new month crept over the horizon,the Titans settled down to sleep,unaware of the new,yet familiar presence just across the water.

* * *

An unescapable feeling of joy bubbled in the two girls' throats.Metropolis was far behind them,and so was the orphanage where they had spent their lives.But right now they had a rather pressing issue to consider.Where the heck were they going to live?They'd have to find a motel for the next couple of nights before they could rent out an apartment.And it was probably pretty dangerous for them to walk around just anywhere.Two teenage girls by themselves were probably excellent prey for Jump City's hordes of villians.

Jira's stomach let out a huge growl before Ranae's copied her.They looked at each other,slightly amused.Breakfast was probably a good idea.They followed their noses to the shopping district.

Buying some sugar bread from a german bakery,they strolled lazily down the promenade.Nearing the end of the street,they found it ended at the beach.Pulling off their shoes and socks and stuffing them into the backpacks,they walked down the hot sand to the edge of the water.

Letting the icy water wash over their bare feet,the girls finished the last of their bread.Walking along the beach a little,they found a nice rock half covered with shade.Jira yawned unexpectedly,making them both realise neither of them had slept a wink on the bus.They settled down on the rock,Ranae in the shade.She burnt easily.

About to fall asleep,Jira remembered their diabetes.She grabbed a bottle and two syringes from the metal box in her backpack,and tossed Ranae one syringe.They injected themselves quickly, before putting the syringes and bottle back in the box carefully.Even more tired than before,they lay back down.Within ten minutes,both of them had fallen into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

Ranae was rudely awakened by a red hand grabbing her roughly around the waist.She instictively struggled,but to avail.Opening her eyes,she realised Jira was in the same state as her.Twisting her body in the fierce grip,she came face-to-face with her captor.Adonis grinned suggestively at her.

"What do we have here?"he drawled from behind a huge smile."The red-head's pretty enough,but there's just something _gorgeous _about brunettes..."

Ranae ignored him,struggling harder.Her air began to thin as Adonis clutched her harder to prevent any escape.Jira looked to be in the same predicament.

A timely blast of green energy hit Adonis in the shoulder,making him release the two girls.But before he let go,Ranae felt him squeeze especially hard.She thought she had heard several ribs crack.As she was about to hit the ground,she squeezed her eyes shut.Hitting the ground with broken ribs was going to **hurt**.But nothing happened.She carefully opened her eyes to find a green face peering worriedly into her own.His arms were wrapped around her,carrying her bridal style.

Beast Boy! Beast Boy had saved her! This was so cool,she couldn't begin to describe it.But his voice quickly cut into her thoughts."You alright?"

Ranae felt her face grow hot.But Beast Boy didn't appear to notice."I---I---I'm fine.Really."Her voice trembled with pain from her chest.

Beast Boy frowned."You don't sound fine."From behind him,Ranae could hear the battle come to a close.Robin walked up behind the green changeling and his pale burden.

"Don't worry,Adonis won't be bothering you and your friend anytime soon."he said,addressing Ranae."Speaking of your friend,she's out cold.Cyborg is checking her for any serious injury.You want him to check you out too?"

Ranae quickly shook her head.It was embarrassing,having Beast Boy,Cyborg **and** Robin fussing over her and Jira.She quickly got out of Beast Boy's strong arms.But she was alot worse off than she suspected.Taking one step,her head swum with pain and she fell to the ground,doubled over,her hands clutching at broken ribs.The last thing she saw before blacking out was Beast Boy's panicked face.

* * *

Beast Boy watched as the brunette fell to her knees in pain.Panicked,he moved forward,just in time to stop her head from hitting the ground.After checking that she still breathing,Robin ran off to get Cyborg,leaving Beast Boy alone with the girl.He slowly shifted her body till he held her easily again.Gingerly he stood and peered into her face.She was incredibly beautiful,brown locks tumbling over her shoulders.Her breath came in shallow gasps,reminding him of her status.He slowly walked over to where Cyborg,Robin and Starfire were setting up a make-shift stretcher for the light red haired girl.

He approached them just as they finished the stretcher.Robin and Starfire carefully carried the girl over to the T-car.Cyborg whirled to face Beast Boy,still typing information into his arm."She's got a couple of broken ribs,and a fractured leg from the fall.She'll be alright though.Her friend here probably has the same.Lemme check."

Cyborg pressed a button on his arm,and the girl in Beast Boy's arms began to glow a light blue.She glowed for a couple more seconds,before the glow faded and Cyborg looked at his arm once again.

"Yeah,looks like a couple of broken ribs and a sprained wrist."Cyborg spoke matter-of-factly to the green changeling.He'd seen much worse among the Titans.Starfire and Robin both had a nasty habit of hurting themselves badly trying to save the other.It was so sad,it was hilarious."Can you take her over to the T-car?We don't have time to make another stretcher.Be careful though,it looks like a rib has just gone through the skin.Not enough to bleed,luckly."

Beast Boy nodded his agreement."Say,Cy,we gona take them to the hospital?"

Cyborg grinned at Beast Boy as they headed over to the T-car."Nope.Titans' Tower."

Beast Boy looked quizzically at his half-robot friend.It took him a moment to realise why Cyborg wanted to treat them himself.His tone turned accusing."You've got the hots for the damsel in distress over there."

Cyborg looked at Beast Boy,the same accusing tone in his voice as he answered."So what?You haven't let go of that damsel in distress since you saved her."

Beast Boy's face went bright red as he carefully sat down in the front seat.Nevertheless,he didn't let go of the brunette.He'd have to hold her in his lap all the way there,as the other girl lay on her stretcher in the back.Starfire would fly Robin over to the Tower so there'd be enough room.No-one heard them complaining.

Beast Boy looked down at the girl as Cyborg started the car up.Something seemed familiar about her,but he just couldn't put his finger on it.Maybe she'd been a waitress at the pizza place they frequented.He never could remember waitresses' faces.

* * *

When they'd reached the tower,Beast Boy and Cyborg had rushed the girls to the medical bay.Cyborg had immediately broken out his operating tools,ready to set the girls' ribs.He'd started on the brunette after giving them both general anasthetic,because she probably had the worst injuries,with one rib just piercing the skin.But Beast Boy had just retreated back to his room,the adrenalin wearing off and leaving his normal blank stupor.

Cyborg shook his head at the poor boy.When they fought a villian,he'd almost act like he used to,losing himself in the moment.But the minute they got back,reality would step back in,and he'd go hide in his room.Cyborg shook his head again,and concentrated on realigning her rib in its proper place.

He had just moved it back,when he saw a little metal band around the rib below quickly typed some commands into the computer,watching the screen intently.Turning back to the operating table,he mumbled to himself.

"Not holding anything together...letting off a electronic discharge...I've never seen anything like this...what is it?"

He reached over to his tools and grabbed a strange metal pick and a pair of tweezers.

"Only one way to find out..."

He grabbed the device with the tweezers and,pressing a button on top of the strange pick,melted the glue that bound it to the girl's rib.He quickly slid the band off,putting it onto a surgical tray for later analysis.He looked at the computer screen cautiously,but her statistics had stayed the same.What was the point of it then?A random electronic device around a girl's rib.Seriously strange.But he still had two patients to look after.He turned back to the girl.

His jaw literally dropped.He almost fell out of his chair from shock.This was almost unbelievable.But the proof was right in front of him.Without looking away from the girl's pale face,he fumbled for the phone.Finding it,he brought it to his face and spoke breathlessly into the mouthpiece.

"Uhhh...Guys?I think you wana down here.Especially you,Beast Boy."

He hung up,and stared for a few more moments before realising he still had to patch her and the other girl up.He moved quickly,not wanting any more harm to come to the fragile life before him.

**

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Muahahaha!**

**I am the Queen of Cliffhangers!Tremble before me,weak mortals!**

**Like I said,probably another couple of weeks till I can update again.But don't worry,I'll post a couple of one-shots I wrote ages ago and haven't had the time to post yet.**

**Once again,gomen!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Gomenasai!Gomenasai!Gomenasai!**

**I've been really sick,that's why this update is late!Again, gomenasai! My stupid parents won't let me go on the computer when I'm sick, or even on Sundays,so I have very little time when I'm sick for 3 weeks straight.**

**Oh,and I swear,'Evilator',you are possibly the stupidest person I have ever met.Maybe this chapter will explain the obvious,retard.**

**And I just realised that I haven't been dedicating chapters lately,so this week,the lucky reviewer is,of course: Silver-Night2!**

**Flattery goes a long way.Muahahahaha! I am now the Empress of Cliffhangers! And this chapter will show you why! **

**Hehe.I am so evil.**

**Chapter 5  
Alas**

Beast Boy normally wouldn't even bother raising his head towards the intercom on the wall.Most of the time he just sat at his messy desk,and let the tears drip onto the laminated photos of Raven.But something in Cyborg's voice,a mixture of excitement and panic,had somehow riled his curiosity.He carefully stowed the picture back in its album before standing up and making his way to the door.

He strolled down the metal corridors slowly,his face devoid of any feeling.Finding himself in front of the medical bay doors,he took a deep breath and mentally prepared himself.He stopped almost instantaneously,confused.

_Prepare myself for what? _Beast Boy thought to himself. _Cyborg didn't say anything important...Only "...Especially you,Beast Boy." What does that mean?What's behind this door?_

Beast Boy shook his head,before closing his eyes,and re-opening them to the mediocrity they normally held._No use in over-analysing it.Whatever that's behind this door is probably nothing.Maybe one of those girls has some complicated problem that Cyborg needs us to help fix.Whatever._

And with that last remark to himself,he slid open the metal door.

Nothing was out of the ordinary,except for the two girls lying on two of the white beds.Cyborg sat on a chair nearest to the door,head bent over the chest of one of the girls.His hulking form obscured both of their heads from Beast Boy's view.Upon hearing the door clang shut behind Beast Boy,Cyborg looked up as the last stitch was completed,and swivelled slowly in his chair to face Beast Boy.

Beast Boy took a double take at the expression on Cyborg's half-metal face.A huge grin spread across his features,but shook a little,as if he had just had the biggest shock of his life.He just had.But Beast Boy didn't know that yet.

"...Dude?" Beast Boy was pretty shocked himself at the expression filling Cyborg's features.

Cyborg practically bounced out of the chair.He grabbed Beast Boy's shoulders roughly,and started shaking him back and forth."Dude!Dude!You have to tell me!Tell me I'm not insane!C'mon!"

Beast Boy couldn't see much except for Cyborg,and Cyborg was really starting to irk him.He pushed Cyborg's over-sized hands off of his shoulders,and quickly regained his composure.But not his temper,which had been running rather high lately.He glared at his robotic friend.

"WHAT!"

Wow.How astonishingly witty.

Cyborg seemed to calm down at the changeling's outburst.Well,at least he stopped bouncing.He took deep breaths,and finally allowed Beast Boy a view of the two girls on the beds.The girl furthest from him,the redhead,was looking incredibly beautiful,long hair billowing around her petite form.But Beast Boy didn't even glance at her,all his attention focused on the teenager Cyborg had just finished healing.

"Rae...Raven?"

And as if on cue,Raven's eyelids flickered open.

-------

Ranae's eyes flickered open in a second,almost instantaneously registering the white all around her.Her first thought was that everthing had all been a dream,but the lingering pain in her chest told a different story.Was she in the hospital then?She could hear wavering footsteps,drawing closer.Someone was walking towards the bed?A nurse?Struggling with her body for a moment,she turned her stiff neck so her head lay sideways.

_Beast Boy?_She was genuinely suprised.Why would he even bother coming to see her in the hospital?He probably saw people get hurt everyday.Why would he bother with her?Another second,and she saw a bunch of highly advanced machines as well as a highly advanced cyborg behind the changeling.Dumbfounded,she reached the obvious conclusion.

She was in Titan's Tower,a foot away from the grass stain of her dreams.

Cool.

But...huh?Beast Boy's face was contorted into a strange expression.Recognition?Hope?And something else,something that burned below the surface,roaring into life.

A strand of hair fell over her eye.She reached a shaky hand up to brush it away,but Beast Boy was faster,having reached her bedside.Instead of letting go though,he held the strand loosely in his black-gloved hand.

Wait.Something was wrong with that hair.Was it really hers?It didn't look right.It looked...

Violet.

"R...Rae...ven?"

This was not happening! It wasn't possible! Quickly regaining full use of her limbs again,she threw herself into the corner of the bed,away from the startled Beast Boy,hands grasping at the long violet locks that tumbled around her frail form.She huddled into a ball,somehow trying to keep herself from the truth.Even so,tears began pouring down her cheeks.Her voice shook under the weight of tears.

"I can't be Raven! I'm not Raven! I---I'm Ranae! Ranae!" She began to unconciously rock,somehow hoping it would halt the tears.Beast Boy withdrew,even more shocked than before.

_She's not Raven?But she is.I'd know her face anywhere,even almost a year on._Another part of his mind argued back._She doesn't act like our Raven.Our Raven never cried,and even when our lives were on the line,when we'd crack a stupid joke,she'd turn it around right back at us,make us the butt of the joke.That's our Raven._Beast Boy stopped.When had he started thinking about her as his Raven?A clang from behind him brought his thoughts to a halt.

Robin and Starfire had appeared in the doorway,both looking a bit tousled.Almost a year on,and a lot more aware to the ways of the world,Beast Boy struggled with the urge to grin like he used to.But the tears of the girl behind him instantly brough a halt to any thoughts of cheer.Starfire was the first to react,however.

"FRIEND RAVEN!"

She plowed through the roof,spraying ceiling material onto everyone present.Beast Boy,Robin, and Cyborg(who had already begun operations on the red-haired girl while Beast Boy was occupied) merely glanced before returning to the matter at hand.However.Ranae,or Raven,whoever she was, was pretty shocked by this turn of events, and her tears stopped almost immediately,disbelief traded for pure astoundment.

Beast Boy took advantage of her brief moment of silence to grasp her hand comfortingly.She looked hesitantly down at their hands,and then back up to his face.Something in Beast Boy prayed for her to get angry,and throw him out the window.Or at least push him away.But her eyes simply wavered,and tears spilled down her ivory cheeks.

Behind them,Robin stepped forward eagerly,but faltered at the protective way Beast Boy gripped Raven's hand.

He smiled knowingly,and stepped backwards out into the corridor,not wanting to spoil the moment.He'd go get Starfire.

Raven just sat there crying.Beast Boy felt so helpless.For want of a better idea,he sat down on the bed next to her.She instinctively leaned forward into his chest,clutching at his uniform and soaking the coarse fabric.Beast Boy had to stop himself from flinching at her touch.Raven---if she even was Raven---was acting like an ordinary girl.That wasn't right.Raven was beyond extraordinary.A beep interupted his thoughts,but not the girl against his chest,whose tears were finally beginning to even out.

Cyborg stood up quickly and reached for the computer,where the beep had come from.He typed in a few commands,and watched the screen as information began to parade across it.He typed a few more commands and the computer began to hum and whir.A printout quickly "vrrr"-ed next to his hand and he tore it off,checking it over before grabbing the shoulder of the girl wrapped around Beast Boy.She looked up uncertainly,eyes still brimming with tears.

He smiled a small comforting smile,and handed her the printout.She took it,hand shaking, before slowly scanning the page.Nothing made sense to her.She looked back up,and Cyborg explained.

"On the left is your DNA,and on the right is a sample of Raven's.They're identical.No matter how much you want to deny it,y'all are Raven.Even a clone,or a twin sister would have a small irregularity.Your'all the real thing."

He turned around,and sat back down to work on the girl Ranae had known as Jira,and the girl that Raven didn't know anymore.For a few more seconds,she stared at the paper,the proof of her identity.But then her eyes started leaking again,and she burrowed into Beast Boy's uniform once again.

"I can't be Raven! I don't deserve to be Raven! How is this possible?"she yelled,voice muffled by the cloth.

Beast Boy had had enough.Seizing her arms,he pulled her from his chest,and spoke to her in a voice that could almost be called frustration."You are Raven,and it is possible! Why is it so bad to you!"

She slowly looked up,her eyes now visible to him.But on her face was no look of remorse,or depression,or distress.Only unbridled joy.And on Raven's face,it scared him more than anything else.

She threw her arms around him,and flung him onto his back."It's not.All I've ever wanted is an adventure and now...now I have it."

A blush rose on his cheeks as her arms tightened around him.

Cyborg coughed rather noisily,and Raven quickly jumped away from Beast Boy,a blush now mantling her cheeks as well.Cyborg grinned mischievously before turning back (again) to his work.Standing and peering over his shoulder,Raven saw that her friend's chest cavity had been opened,exposing stark white ribs and glistening red muscle.She quickly choked back the bile rising in her throat.

Beast Boy put his hand comfortingly on her shoulder,causing her to turn and smile weakly at him.He couldn't help it.No matter if she wasn't the Raven he knew,he still had to comfort her.He couldn't bear to see her in pain,but her current state was worse than pain for him to see.At least he'd found her.He had begun to think that he'd never see her again.

Scratch that,he'd known he'd never see her again.

Thank an invisible guy in the sky for human error.

Cyborg chuckled again,and spoke over his shoulder to the two teenagers behind him."If y'all are quit flirting,we can find out just who this girl really is."

Beast Boy and Raven both turned away from each other quickly,faces lighting up like christmas trees.They both looked cautiously over Cyborg's shoulders,Raven this time focusing strictly on (what she thought was) Jira's face.She didn't think she could take another look at her friend's insides without also observing that sugar bread again.

Cyborg took the same instrument as before,and slowly slid the metal band off the stark white bone.His eyes travelled up to her face,and all that could be heard was a rather audible whistle.

"No wonder we couldn't find her,"Cyborg mused.

Raven looked at the tumbles of pink hair,and the soft pink smirk adorning her pale features.Pcitures,sounds,whispers of memories came poring through her mind.

_"Here kitty,kitty,kitty.What's the matter,afraid of a little bad luck?"_

_"Attack pattern Alpha!"_

_"You could have been one of us."_

For a second,she could see every memory she had ever had of the villain Jinx.Alas.

Raven crashed to the floor,eyes unseeing in pain.

**

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MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!**

**BOW DOWN BEFORE THE EMPRESS OF CLIFFHANGERS,PUNY MORTALS!**

**I'm sorry,but I just love that 'Alas.' bit.Whee!So coolio!**

**And no stealing either of those words!'Alas' and 'coolio' are officially my right as Empress of Cliffhangers!**

**Don't forget,reviews make me try and get better to provide you junkies with your regular daily intake of Teen Titans!**


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